Coin selector



March 9, 19371 J. GOTTFmED 2,073,260

COIN SELECTOR Filed July 20, 1954 i 7 :lll l7 l I -|O 1 I I g 2 L 23 v INVENTOR.

I I John Gar/fried.

Patented Mar. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE can-13,260

com SELECTOR John Gottfried, Bridgeport, Conn. Application m 20, 1934, Serial No. 736,179

4. Claims. (Cl. 194-101 This invention relates to coin selectors, and contemplates a small and compact selector improved efiiciency and capacity for discriminating between genuine coins and slugs having properties so similar to genuine coins that the separation of the two is not efiected by ordinary selectors.

A method of coin selection which has been utilized to a limited extent comprises the use of a magnetic field of substantial intensity. It is a familiar principle of electrodynamics that when any object is moved through a magnetic field currents are generated within the moving object,

' which currents have a magnetic efiect tending to oppose the motion which produces them. The

intensity of the currents generated in the moving object and the consequent retarding of its movement are proportional to its electrical conductivity. Thus, the bodies of copper and aluminum, which are good electrical conductors, are more retarded than bodies of coin silver (the customary silver coinage alloy) ,.which has a less conductivity, and objects of the common alloys and of nickel, which'are quite indiiierently con- 5 ductive, will be retarded still less. Advantage has been taken of this principle for the 'purpose of effecting the separation of genuine coins,

such as those of coin silver, from coins of other' materials and from slugs. In general, however, 30 these devices have been too large and cumbersome for practical use. One difiiculty is that almost invariably three paths-are provided for coins or slugs passing through the magnetic field according to the amount of their retardation in 5 the magnetic field. "The provision of two or more outlet passages for rejected coins and slugs adds to the size and complexity of the apparatus. Moreover, the difierence in the electrical properties of genuine coins and certain slugs, is so 40 slight that their paths of movement on leaving the magnetic field may vary but slightly. In general, prior devices have not been of suiilcient accuracy and discrimination to effect a positive separation.

It is an object of this invention to provide a magnetic field of increased local intensity, thereby increasing the difierence in the subsequent path of movement of genuine coins and other obo jects having properties but slightly difierent from those of genuine coins.

It is a further object of'the invention to provide passages for coins and other articles leaving the magnetic field so designed as to efiect an 55 accurate separation between genuine coins and slugs difiering only very slightly from genuine coins.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts, one, embodiment 01. which 5 has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing,in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly insection, oi a coin selector, including one embodimentof the present invention. I 10 Fig.2 is a vertical section on'the line 2-2 of Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged deta.il.ot"'a magnet pole piece.

The selector may comprise side plates l0 and '15 I 1', between which sideplates are secured members l2 and i3 defining a coin passage l4. Adjacent the entrance to the coinpassage I4 may be secured a conventional type of coin receiving slot and passage, indicated generally by the nu- 20 meral l5, which may-be providedwith a small magnet l6 for preventing the passage of slugs of magnetic material. Thecoin' chute defining member l2 terminates adjacent 'apole piece I! of a strong magnet l8, while-the opposite wall of the passage comprises a vertically extending member or wall l9 'which'may be integral with member l3 and is separated from the. end of member l2 by a distance'substantially greater than the diameter of a coin. This widening of the coin passage is to permit the divergence in the paths of genuine and spurious coins whichv is initiated by their passage through the. mag netic field between the pole pieces i1. The'pole pieces I! are of a. special construction, forming 5 one feature of the present. invention 'which may be described as follows:

Inside each pole of the magnet I8 is a cylindrical pole piece I! provided at its inner or free end with a projection 20 of reduced diameter which is re- 40 ceived in an aperture in one ofthe side plates l0 and II. The projections 20. however, are not cylindrical, but are provided with lateral V- shaped extensions or points 2 I, the side plate apertures being shaped accordingly. Thus, the magnetic field in the coin chute between the pole faces is not the usual symmetrical field passing between poles of circular configuration, 'instead', due to the concentration 01' magnetic flux at the points 2|, an intense local field between these points is created. The motion retarding currents generated in conductive objects moving through 'this field are proportionately intensified, anda wider divergence in their subsequent paths due to difierences in their conductivity is secured.

Below the widened coin p ge defined by the end of the member I2 and the downward extension" IQ of member I3 is a coin passage dividing member 22 comprising reversely sloping faces 24 5 and 25 meeting in an upwardly facing edge or point 23. The face 24 defines oneside of a passage for accepted coins, while: the face 25 constitutes a part of a passage for rejected coins. Preferably, means, such as a slot 26 are provided for adjusting the position of member 22. By the use of the edged member 22 there is secured a very accurate separation of coins whose electrical properties are so similar that passage through the magnetic field causes but slight divergence in their paths of movemen The edge 23 is engaged by the lower portion of the rim of the descending coin and a very slight difference in the lateral position of the coin at the time of this engagement will determine whether it is accepted or rejected. Fig. 1 illustrates in broken line a coin which has descended to contact edge 23 with its center of gravity very slightly to the right of said edge. This coin will be accepted, whereas one contacting edge 23 with its center of gravity but slightly to 25 the left would be rejected.

In operation, coins or slugs of highly conductive materials, such as aluminum and copper, are strongly deflected by passage through the magnetic field between the pole faces 2| and fall some- 80 what to the left (Fig. 1) of the edge 23, passing down the face 25 to a rejected coin receptacle or outlet. Coins having the electrical properties for which the particular apparatus is designed, suchas those of coin silver, will be somewhat deflected or retarded on passing the magnetic field and engage the surface 24 or the edge 23 in such position as to be directed into a chute or receptacle for accepted coins. Coins or slugs of lesser conductivity will be affected still less by passage 40 through the magnetic field and will move. into contact with the passage defining member I! by which they are directed downwardly and caused to engage the point 23 with their center of gravity on the left (Fig. 1) of said point so that they are rejected. Their exit, however, is through the same coin passage as that of coins having an excessive conductivity, and the usual second passage for rejected coins is eliminated. It will be noted that the separator member 22 is so positioned with respect to the passage wall I! that coins des'cending along wall I! engage the separator with their center of gravity to the left of the point 22 and are rejected. Thus, inert and inelastic slugs of low conductivity are directed to the same exit as slugs of high elasticity or high conductivity. A correct coin does not contact wall I! at all, being deflected in the magnetic field just enough to pass between thelower end of saidwall and-the surface 24 of the separator. This arrangement,

so particularly in conjunction withthe non-symmetrical magnetic field and/or the pointed separator or passage defining member 22, results in a remarkably delicate discrimination between coins of very similar properties.

as In the appended claims the term "coins identifies genuine coins, spurious, worn or improper coins or slugs simulating coins, and the term genuine coins" identifies true coins of the particular size and material which the selector. is designed to accept. 5

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing and described herein isto be understood as typl and representative only, the invention being susceptible to many modifications, all falling within the claims, which claims are to be broadly construed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a coin selector, in combination, a coin passage. a coin separating magnet adjacent said passage, the pole faces of said magnet extending 15 toward the sides of said coin passage and being provided with lateral projections of small area extending substantially parallel to the walls of said coin passage, whereby magnetic fiux in said coin e is concentrated between said pro- 20 iections.

2. In a coin selector, in combination, a coin passage, a coin-separating magnet adjacent said e, the pole faces of said magnet extending toward the sides of said coin e and being 25 provided with pointed lateral projections extend-r ing substantially parallel to the walls .of said coin e. thereby creating a high concentration of magnetic flux in said coin passage between the points of said projections and a lesser fiux between other parts of said pole faces.

3. In a coin selector, in combination, a magnet adapted to affect the travel of passing coins in a manner and to an extent dependent upon their electrical conductivity,"a coin passage 35 coins between the poles of said magnet, a widened coin passage beyond said magnet permitting divergence in the paths of movement of coins said magnet, a marginal wall defining one side of said widened passage and guiding 40 coins receiving a minimum of deflection by said magnet, a separator in said widened coin passage comprising reversely sloping faces and an upstanding edge adapted. for engagement by the rims of descending coins, an outlet for genuine coins defined by one face of said separator and the end of said margina wall, and an exit for all classes of spurious coins defined by the opposite face of said separator.

4. A coin selector comprising a continuous coin passage having a width substantially equal to the thickness'of a genuine coin, an outlet for genuine coins and one outlet for all spurious coins, both outlets being in the plane of said passage, a mag- 55 net having pole faces with laterally projecting points formingparts of the walls of said coin magnetic field therein, an edged separator in said passage having reversely sloping faces directin so coins to said outlets, and means for guiding coins of deficient conductivity to engage said separator in such a. manner-as to be directed toward the same outlet as coins of excessive conductivity.

' JOHN GO'I'I'FRIED. 66

scope of the appended 10' 

